1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the drying of clothes using a clothes dryer. More particularly, the invention relates to providing a clothes dryer with a combined temperature sensor and electromechanical thermostat for measuring the inlet air temperature, and for controlling the heat source.
2. Description of Related Art
The drying of clothes via the application of heated air in a conventional clothes dryer is well-known in the prior art. Thermostats and thermistors with electronics are used in such dryers to control heat input, thereby preventing high clothes temperatures that can damage the clothes. Some dryers use both an inlet thermistor and an exhaust thermistor for monitoring air temperature, as well as a bi-metal thermostat for limiting the heat input. This known configuration, however, suffers from a number of shortcomings.
Initially, the above-mentioned system of the prior art has a delay between the time the inlet air temperature is sensed by the thermistor and the time the thermostat reacts to an increase in temperature. This delay in response time can result in excessively long drying times due to the thermostat turning the heating element off prematurely. This condition, known as nuisance cycling, lengthens the total amount of drying time necessary to completely dry the contents of the dryer.
Another shortcoming of the prior art is a lack of close correlation of the air temperature due to the distance and orientation between the inlet thermistor and the thermostat. This distance and orientation can lead to a difference in the temperature detected by each of the components.
Further, the prior art utilizes an inlet thermistor that is separate from the thermostat. Thus, two separate components must be manufactured and mounted to the dryer, thereby adding to the overall cost in both labor and materials.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a system that more efficiently controls the heat input in a clothes dryer while using the minimum amount of components to reduce overall cost.